I'm a huge advocate of meal planning, and I want to show you, just how easy it is to do.

Once you start meal planning, you'll soon realise just how much time and money it saves, and you'll never look back! They'll be no more running to the grocery store at 5pm, to pick up something for dinner... and coming out with WAY more than just dinner!

Read on for tips and tricks of the meal planning trade, as well your FREE meal plan template download. You might also like to join my Facebook group, where we discuss meal planning and share recipe inspiration.

How do I meal plan?

Then, I do a quick inventory of what I've got left in the fridge, pantry and freezer, and make a note of these items.

Where possible, I'll try and plan some meals around these ingredients earlier on in the week, before they go out of date. This not only saves waste, but also your hard earned cash!

Then it's time to get creative. I get both of my blogs up on my phone (since July 2020 Jam & Clotted Cream focusses on Cornish inspired recipes, whilst Effortless Foodie is all about fuss-free food for families), add in a few of my trusty recipe books (I'm a Nigella fan), not to mention Pinterest (which is great for meal idea's), and decide what I'd like to make.

I've included a handy blank grocery list on the meal plan template, so you can write down what you need to buy.

A tip that I find REALLY helpful, is making a note on the meal plan of important appointments, after school clubs, sports activities and evening meetings, so I can plan something easy for dinner on those days!

My meal plan template includes space for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It might be that you only really use the breakfast and lunch spaces on weekends though, especially if your kids have school dinners. But, during the school holidays, the extra space might come in very handy!

Pin for later!

Getting the whole family involved

I like to get the whole family involved in meal planning, and often let the kids choose 1 meal each, that either they would like to make themselves, or me to make for them. Macaroni cheese, Scone Pizza's  and Slow Cooker Chicken Korma, are frequent requests in the Jam & Clotted Cream household!

Why YOU should meal plan!